Pepper, I Got A Kid
by Shelllee24
Summary: A conversation I envision happening so Tony can win back Pepper after their 'break'.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Set after Spider-Man Homecoming. Spoilers possibly for Spider Man Gomecoming.

Pepper glanced at her watch as she closed her office door behind her. She had exactly 10 minutes get downstairs to her awaiting car. She glanced up juggling her briefcase and files and stopped dead in her tracks. Tony was sitting in one of the plush waiting area chairs.

"Uh, hi!" He said jumping up,looking around, not knowing what to do with his hands. Looking as good as he always had. Pepper sighed. Ever the impulsive one, Tony never ceased to pop up at the most unusual times, and places too.

Pepper readjusted her files and put them in her case. "Hi Tony"

"You got a minute?"

"Now? Well I was just on my way out. I have a meeting to get to." She replied motioning to the hall that led to the elevators.

"I know. At 3:15. With the Shimabukaru brothers."

Pepper just looked at him. "Ho-"

"I make it a point to know."

Pepper didn't know what to say. She inwardly sighed. She's been doing this a lot, especially in the last 10 seconds since Tony popped back into her life.

She opened her office door and gestured him inside.

He quickly scooted in. Instead of sitting in the chair across her desk, he walked around. Looking. At the walls, at the figures on her shelves. The art he had no interest nor taste in. She put her brief case on the desk, leaned against it and crossed her arms.

"I'm listening." She said.

"I-", he started, "um," he continued then paused. "I didn't bring you strawberries."

"That's good." Pepper replied as she slightly smiled.

"I saw Cap, and the rest of the team and everything's changed."

"I know. I saw the news."

"I don't like the Accords any more than the rest of them, but..."He shrugged then continued. "There was a cat."

"Uh, o-kaaayyy." Was all Pepper replied.

"I tried so hard to keep the team together, rather than spitting us apart. Rhodey's broken. Bruce is gone." Then he paused again, "You're gone." He said as he looked her. Then he gave an unamused laugh, "What was I thinking? I can't even keep us together."

Neither said anything for a very long time, but neither did either one take their eyes off the other.

"I saw it Pepper." Tony said in that serious voice that shows and hides all his emotions at the same time.

"Saw what, Tony?" She questioned. She was used to his stories bouncing, as he does, from one point to another, yet they always led to something. And this was something big.

"I saw the whole thing. Replaying. Right there. Right before my eyes." He looked off in the distance, but Pepper didn't miss the moisture forming in his eyes.

"I saw my parents murdered."

The next thing he knew she was in his arms. "Oh Tony, I'm so sorry. That must have been awful. Do you want to talk about it?"

"If I keep talking, does that mean you'll stay where you're at?"

"Yes."

"Ok." He sighed. "Um, yeah, uh, it was pretty awful. But the worst part, well, there were a lot of them, was all Dad wanted, as messed up as my family was, was he wanted help for Mom. Mom wasn't involved in the life but he dragged her in, but in the end, I guess he really did love her."

"Tony," Pepper said as she pulled away just enough to look at him, holding his head in her hands. "Tony, look at me, he loved you too."

Tony shrugged and made a non committal grunt as he looked away, rolling his eyes slightly. "Well, it seems in the Avengers divorce," Pepper moved back into her position in his arms. "I got Brody and Vision. Cap got everyone else. Pepper, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything. Everything I've ever done, said, even the things I don't know that I did."

"Oh Tony. I'm sorry you've gone through so much, but you really have to let me in. You're doing a decent job right now."

"This is good, right? We could be good... again? Can't we? Pepper, I love you. I've tried, I-I-I've tried to do things right." He moved his hand up and down her back. "In the cave, with the original suit, I thought I was going to die. In New York, with the whole portal closing thing, I thought I was going to die. Before the world's fair, I thought I was going to die. Waiting for an elevator, standing next to a woman, for a split second, I thought I was going to die. In Germany, I could have died. But I didn't. Each time, I didn't. I...didn't ...Die. But Dad did. Mom did. And I didn't even tell him I loved him. I didn't say goodbye. I don't want to live with that regret. I'm done with regrets. I love you. I want you to be proud of me and I want you to think I'm responsible."

"Oh Tony. I do-" Pepper started but Tony continued.

"So Pepper, I got a kid"

Pepper immediately pulled away from him.

"What?"

He nodded. "I got a kid. That's what I came to tell you. Not about all that ... that other stuff, but it sort of just came out." He said as he waved his hand around.

Pepper took a step back, out of his reach.

"Wait, you said, ten seconds ago that if I talked to you, you'd stay. Right here." He pointed to the ground immediately next to him. "You're not here."

"You mean Harley?" She asked, still not moving.

"No! Not Harley." He scoffed.

"Wait Tony, what does that even mean? 'I got a kid.'? You don't exactly go to the store and purchase children."

"Don't be ridiculous. I found him dumpster diving in Queens."

"What?! Ok, Tony you're not making any sense. Now use that magnificent brain of yours to use your words explain exactly what you mean."

"I'm getting the feeling you're not happy. "

"I'm reserving my verdict until you finish."

"I thought you'd be happy. I got him and took him to Germany. He stole Cap's shield. I'm responsible. He's still alive."

"What?! Tony, Germany? Where you just told me you could have died, you took a kid? What were you thinking? How old is this kid? I love you Tony, I really do, but you drive me absolutely insane!"

"Well, I took him out of the battle once his surprise factor wore off."

"Tony, Rhodey was hurt so bad he might never walk on his own again and you took a kid?"

"When you say it like that...He's 15. And I made him a suit."

"Of course you did. Does this kid have a family?"

"An aunt. His parents are dead. Just like me. And he's pretty smart. He's going around the city looking for people to help. When I was his age, I had barely gotten out from under the eye of a nanny."

"So his aunt just let you take him to Germany, from Queens."

Tony didn't reply.

"Tony..." Pepper said in a tone as if he were a teenager trying her patience.

"I sort of told her I was taking him on an internship." He held up his hands, " It's not a lie, he's interning for me, of sorts. I got it covered. He's got great potential. I want to bring him on to the team."

"Tony, half the team is in hiding. Running from the law. They escaped prison. Wait, you didn't have anything to do with that one, did you?"

He scoffed again. "No!"

Pepper sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Ok, Tony, I'm still here. I'm still listening. So tell me about this kid. He's obviously important enough to you that you want to bring him onto the Team."

"His name is Peter. He reminds me so much of me. He's trying to do good. All on his own. I got Happy keeping an eye on him. I tried telling him he did good. But then he didn't listen to me. I tried, I tried talking to him and he blew me off! I told him to stay close to the ground but did he listen? No, he just ran off thinking he was going to save the world."

"He's a kid that's what they do. Sounds a lot like someone I know, who's NOT a kid." Pepper commented, then waved her hand, "Continue."

"And there I was, he's telling me I don't care and I'm yelling at him telling him how foolish he was and..and.. I told him he didn't deserve the suit and I sounded like Dad. Then it hit me, I could very well become my father. I don't want that. I want you back in my life. So... I was thinking I'll invite him up to stay and maybe you can come too?" Tony stood there with his arms open. "Plenty of room at the compound, especially next to me."

Sighing she took a few steps toward him. "We'll take this one step at a time. Starting with my steps toward you."

She was back in his arms, where she belonged.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N : this second part has been rattling in my head for a very long time. It takes place before the final scene of spiderman homecoming but after most of Homecoming. A line in the Endgame trailer just hit me and inspired me to finish. Thank you all for reading.

—-

Pepper moved away from Tony, out of his arms . It felt so nice just now. "I really need to get going."

"Ok. Yeah, sure." Tony said opening the door for her. "Umm, uh", he muttered as he scratched the back of his head. "Can I come with?" He rushed out all at once.

Sighing, again, for the uncounted time. "If you can behave."

"Great! Thanks!" He said as he kissed her cheek and followed her out the door.

Outside, the driver held the door open. "Good afternoon, Miss Potts." Then he glanced over at Tony. "Mr Stark"

"Hi Finn. I'll get that. Thanks" he said holding the car door open.

"You know MY drivers name?" Pepper asked scooting over to allow Tony to get in.

The response she got was a typical Tony Stark half non-committal shrug. "You've made me late for my meeting." Pepper said to break the silence.

"It's the Shimabukaru brothers. Bring them Hot Dogs from the cart on 45th and they'll love you forever. Be sure to load up on the onions."

"You sound as if you've been late with them before and know how to get out of repercussions."

Tony shrugged with one shoulder. "Stick with me and I'll show you how to get out of many difficult situations." He gave her one of those dazzling smiles.

"See, Tony, that's just it. I don't want to be IN difficult situations that I need to get OUT of. I want normal. I want peaceful. I want stable. Life with you is always so ... so...chaotic." Pepper went on, "I don't want to be watching the tv and you're off trying to save mankind and I think of 325 different ways you can die. I can't watch you die, Tony. I can't."

Tony sat there looking intensely at Pepper. He reached over and held her hand. Thankfully she held on too. "Tell me what you want me to do. I tried the no suit thing. I retired. Then the cat showed up. I was just trying to keep every one together."

Pepper smiled once he said 'the cat showed up'. "Of course there was a cat. I'm sure you're new kid had biscuits for the puppy you'd get him."

"No, not a real cat. It was a suit. A high tech suit. I wonder if I could have a chat with the wearer and we could swap tips." Then Tony saw the glare Pepper gave him. "Or not." He glanced down at their touching hands. "I love you. Thank you for accepting me this far. I'm sorry I'm a mess."

"Oh you admit it?"

"Only to you."

That got another smile out of her and it gave him just a little more hope. With each allowance she made that let him get closer, or even stay where he was, anything but push him away, was good enough for him.

"So , um, how's the apartment?" He asked after a few minutes of silence. Pepper continued to hold his hand even though she used her other hand to flip to paperwork.

"MY penthouse apartment is nice."

"You really need to get security to check the lock on the West balcony door. And get a thicker curtain for your bedroom window."

"And how would you know if my door does or does not need checking out? And why would I need thick-. Tony! Are you SPYING on me?" Pepper asked incredulously.

"No!" He immediately replied.

"Are you flying around at night? Watching me? Ugh! Tony I can't believe you."

"No I'm not..." then a pause. "Maybe." Pepper glared at him. "Yes? What's the right answer here? Tell me and I'll give it to you."

"The truth. Let's try that."

Tony glanced out the window. Looking up at the tops of the buildings. "I may have been trying out a new suit."

"Uh huh" Pepper glanced down at her watch. "Finn? Can you please stop at the hot dog cart on 45th? I need to make a stop."

"Of course, Miss Potts." The driver replied as he put on his signal to make the requested detoured stop.

"Tony, what am I going to do with you?" Pepper asked.

Tony shrugged. "Keep me around?" He reached over and touched her hand again. "Tell me what you want me to do. I miss you. Once you told me I wouldn't last a week without you. Technically I've kept breathing but you are right. I can't. This break is killing me." He gently moved his hand to intertwine it with hers. She glanced out the window. "You want me to tell you the truth? Alright, mom watched dad die first and his last request was for help for her. As difficult as he was, his last concerns were for her. She didn't deserve to die. She shouldn't have been there. He drug her into that mess." The tears were falling down his face. "She was the only one to love me and I just want-"

"Tony, how can you say that?" Pepper said looking straight into his eyes. "Bruce loved you. He just had his own issues to work out. I mean he stood by you when you made your killer robot. Rhodey loved you, he left his commission for three months never giving up hope. He could not let you go." She reached up with both hands and held his face. "Howard loved you. I've seen those recordings. He might not have known how to truly express it. He was from a different time, but he loved you. Maybe he was a hot mess like someone I know." She said and smiled. She let go of his face and caressed his cheek. "Who knows why, but I love you. I have stood by you for well over a decade. Dispute your crazy antics."

"If you love me, then all is good! Come move into the compound with me."

"Tony, we needed a break."

"See? 'Needed' as in past tense. That will put me in the range of 'maybe we can get back together'. You know Pep, if you want to keep working in the city, I'm fine with it. I'll fly you in every day. I just want you with me. I NEED you. "

Pepper looked intently at him. "What an I going to do with you ?"

"Love me? Keep me around? Move to the compound with me?" Then Tony shifted in his seat. "You know, the company has been run by a Stark since its inception..."

Pepper looked up. Very slow she said, "Tony, you aren't trying to take back the company? I've worked so hard!" The hurt look on her face broke him.

"No! No! Not what I was saying at all!" He said as he lifted up both hands in surrender. "I meant... maybe...you might..." he sputtered and stammered then said all at once "want to become a Stark."

Pepper put all her papers down and folded her hands on her brief case in a very deliberate motion. "Anthony Howard Stark, I will push you out this moving vehicle. Did you just propose to me , in a car, on the way to a meeting, right after threatening to take the company from me?"

He tried to seem like he was sinking into his seat. "Uh, no?" Then he tried to move closer and put his hand on hers. "Look Pep, you don't want to get married? Fine. We don't have to. I just want you back. Please come with me to the compound. Or I can go to the penthouse, and fix that door" he added. "I want to be at home and that place is anywhere you are. I want to sleep at night. I want peace. You of all people know I need peace. I don't have it when I'm not with you."

Pepper looked down at their hands together. She looked up and saw all the sincerity of a broken damaged man who had so much love inside of him.

"Honey, all I can say, is I love you. I need you. I'm begging you, please. That's me being honest. You're all I need. It's always you."

Pepper looked at him. But she spoke to the driver. "Finn, can you please message Anita that I'd like to have several of my things packed by the time I get back from this meeting? I'll be staying at Avengers compound ..."


End file.
